Sound amplifier



June 24, 1930. J HAwLEY ET AL SOUND AMPLIFIER Filed April 19 1924 fiaqok fjwmsend,

- from the other reflector Patented June 24, 1 930 I umrsp STATES PATENT oFFicE- JESSE B. HAWLIEY, OF WIIIMETTE, ILLINOIS, AND RALPH E. TOWNSEND, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, A SSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 10 UNITED REPRO- v DUOERS CORPORATION, OF ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SOUND AMPLIFIER Application filed April 19,

tones and incorrect timbre, metallic resonance, and the like but'which will reproduce sound or sound waves as nearly true to the original or created sound as possible; to provide for reflecting the emitted reproduced sound waves for purifying the tones and timbre; to successively reflect such waves; to provide. forsadjusting the relation of the reflectors with respect to each other and the relation of the reflectors with respect to the reproducing device, such as a telephonic receiving unit or phonographic sound' box or the like; to provide a reflector with a substantially caustic surface for eificientl reflecting the sound conducted to it roin the reproducer; to provide a.- reflector vof concave or hollow form and of substantiall ellipsoidal form with preferably a smootli reflecting surface; to provide the reflectors of material varying in thickness or density 11k from the central or axial or nodal ortions thereof toward the outer or marginal portions thereof; to provide a pair of reflectors having their reflecting portions directed toward each other such that the sound incident'upon one-may be reflected to the other and the latter to reflect the sound by or through the former which may be spaced or provided with openings for the passage of the sound from the device; and to provide such other objects, advantages and capabilitiesas will later appear and are inherently possessed by the invention.

In the drawing showing an' illustrative embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 ,is aperspective view, with fragmentary sections, of a device'constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig.2 is a vertical axial sectional view; and, Fig. 3 is a front elevational view, with art broken away.

Re erring more particularly to the drawing, the device is shown as comprising a body 1924. Seflal No. 707,578.

member or reflector 1 of generally concave shape and of ellipsoidal form and provided at the front thereof with an opening 2 acting as the discharge outlet for the sound. At the rear of the body is provided a small opening inwhich is suitablysupported a sound conducting member or tube 3 which preferably diverges toward the front of the device and has its forward end portion 4; open to discharge or emit sound waves against a reflector 5. The latter is provided with a substantially or approximately caustic surface and substantially in axial alinement with the tube 3. The reflector 5 has rearwardly-extending flared portions 7 so as to forma sort of diverging or bell-shaped body for directing the sound waves rearwardly toward the body 1. The portion 7 of the reflector 5 extends radially with curved or reflexed marginal portions 8 which are preferably provided with a series of apertures 9, as clearly shown in the drawing. At the front of the body 1 is suitably mounted a grid or like device 10 provided with a suitable number of openings 11 through which the sound passes from the device into the air space of a room or the e. .Both the body member 1, which acts as a reflector, and the reflector 5 are referably made with the material thereo' tapering from the central portions thereof toward the margins thereof so that their resonance may be improved to obtain the desired quality of tones being amplified and transmitted from the reproducing device to the hearers. The tube 3, body 1 and reflector 5 may be made of any suitable material, such as fibrous substance, papier-mach, paper pulp, or even wood or metal as desired and as the conditions ma dictate. ,The body member 1 1s prefera ly provided with a supportln base portion 12 for the purpose of sup ortmg the device in upright position with t c axis thereof in substantially horizontal position. A reproducing devlce 13 may be secured to the tube 3 in any suitable manner. Preferably thereproducer, which may be a talking machine sound box or a tele honic receiver for radio apparatus or the ike, is preferably formed with a neck 14 suitably apertured to receive the rear end of the tube 3 and externally threaded to fit in a bushing or ferrule 15 connected to the body 1 in the a rture provided in the rear part thereo as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawin The purpose of the threads is that the tu e 3 together with the reproducer, may be adjusted axially over the rim or periphery of the grid or the threads may be made directly into the grid itself, if the material thereof will admit it.-

The reflector 5 is preferably secured or connected to the central portion of the grid by suitable fastening elements 18 as clearly shown inthe drawing. It will thus be seen from the above described construction that the grid together with the reflector 5 may be adjusted axially by a turning of the grid and the reflector so that the threads of the member 17 will ride in the threads of the member 16. From this it will be apparent that either the reflector 5 or the tube 3 ma be adjusted with respect to each other or th adjusted toether. In this way the distance of reflection etween the reflectors 1 and 5 may be varied at will to vary the amplification of the sound and to improve the quality of the tones being amplified, and to also Vary the distance'between the reflecting surface 6 of the reflector 5 and the discharge outlet 4 of the tube 3'.

In operation the reproducer 13 will set up the vibration of the column of air in the tube 13 producing sound waves which are emitted through the opening or discharge outlet 4 of the tube 3 and upon the reflecting surface 6 of the reflector 5. From this surface the sound is reflected rearwardly through the flared portion 7 of the reflectorand' directed a ainst the innersurface 19 of the body member 1.

, From-this surface the sound may be reflected through the opening 9 and also around the s ace between the mm or margin of the reector- 5 and the inner surface of the body portion 1. The sound will then proceed through the o eningsll of the grid and to the exterior o the device in amplified form.

The innersurface 19 of the reflector 1 is preferably smooth. While we have herein described and upon the drawing shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not'limited to the particular details, ar-

rangement of parts and construction de son rangements of parts and constructions are comprehended by the invention Without de parting from the spirit thereof.

ed and shown, but that other details, ar-- Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A sound amplifier comprising an a proximately semi-ellipsoidal hollow bo y having an opening at one side thereof, means for directing sound waves against the inner surface of said body whereby the sound waves may be reflected and amplified.

2. A sound amplifier comprising an approximately semi-ellipsoidal hollow body having an opening at one side thereof, a reflector within said body and capable of directing sound waves to the inner surface of said body whereby the sound waves may be reflected and amp ified.

3. A sound amplifier comprising an ap proximately semi-ellipsoidal hollow body having an opening at one side thereof, a reflector within said body and capable of directing sound waves to the inner surface of said body whereby the sound waves may be reflected and amplified, and means for directing sound waves against said reflector to be transmitted therefrom to said body.

4. A sound amplifier comprising an a proximately semi-ellipsoidal hollow bo y having an opening at one side thereof, a sound conveying tube leading into said body, means for directing the sound emitted from said tube to said body for reflection and amplification thereof, and means adjust-ably mounted in said body and connected to said sound directing means for adjusting its position.

5. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow body'member having a soundoutlet opening at one side thereof, a sound conveying tube extending into said body member through the other side thereof, a reflecting member for reflecting the sounds emitted from the tube to the inner surface of the body member remote from said outlet opening whereby the sound isreflected by the body member and emitted through said outlet opening in amplified and improved condition, and means adjustably mounted in said body and connected to said sound directing means for adjusting its position.

6. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow body member having a sound outlet opening at one side thereof, a sound conveying tube from said" body member for providing an I rom out-let passage for the sound reflected said body member.

7 A sound amplifier comprising a hollow body member having a sound outlet opening at one side thereof, a sound conveying tube extending into said body member through the other side thereof, a flaring reflector opposite the inner end of said tube for reflecting sound to the inner surface of said body member, said reflector having a mar nal portion provided with apertures or affording passage of the sound reflected from I said body member.

8. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow body having a sound outlet, a sound conveying passage extending into said body and having a sound discharging opening, a reflector in said body and located opposite said opening, said reflector having means cooperating with said body member and saidreflector for adjustably. supporting the reflector in the body.

. 9. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow.

body having a sound outlet, a sound convey-.

ing passage extending into said. body and having a sound discharging opening, a reflector in said body and located opposite said opening,-and means connected to the reflec tor and tothe body for adjustably supporting the reflector therein and whereby the reflector may be moved to and from said openm mgpas'sage' extending into said body. and

1 having a sound discharging opening, a reflector in said body and located opposite said 7 opening, a supporting member adjustably supported in the outlet of the body and sc curedto said reflector whereby the space between said reflector and the opening of the passage may be varied when the supporting member is adjusted.

as as 11. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow body having a sound outlet, a sound conveyhaving a sound dischargingopening, a reflector in said body and located opposite said o enmg, said reflector and said passage being a 'ustably supported in said body whereby eit er or both may be adjusted to and from .each'other as desired.

13. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow a forward outlet for discharge ofamp sound, and provided with a rim about said outlet, a grid adjustably connected to said rim, a sound reflector connected to said (1 and movable therewith where by the dlstancebetween the rear of said body and said reflector may be 'varied at will.

14. A sound amplifier comprising a hollow 5 sound amplifier comprising a hollow body having a sound outlet, a sound convey said passage for-varying the of amplified and and provided withyan' aperture in the rearwall thereof, a sound conveying tube extending through said aperture and into said body, and means for adjustably connecting the tube to said body in said aperture whereby the discharge end of the tube maybe adjusted with reference to the inner rear surface of the body.

15. In 'a sound amplifier having a. hollow body provided with a sound outlet and means for conducting sound into said body, a reflector havin a-caustic surface .and flaring walls for re acting the sound emitted from said conducting means into said body.

16. In a sound amplifier having a hollow body provided with a sound outlet and means I for conducting sound into said body, a re flector having a caustic surface and flaring walls, provided with reflexly curved marginal portions. v 1

17. In a sound amplifier having a hollow body provided with a sound outlet and means for conducting sound into saidbody, a reflector havin a caustic surface and flaring walls provi ed with aperturedmargina portions. 7

18. In a sound amplifier having a hollow body provided with a sound outlet and means for conducting sound into said body, a reflector having a caustic surface. and flaring walls provided with a reflexly curved margin in which is formed a series of apertures'fo'r the passage of amplified sound.

19. In a sound amplifier having a body member, and a reflector varying in thickness from the central portion thereof to the mar- 'ginal portion thereof.

20. A sound reflector from nodal point toward the margin. thereof. I In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names to this specification;

JESSE B. HAWLEY. RALPH H. TOWNSEND.

tapering in thickness Ill)- body having a forward outlet for discharge: 

